Restaurant in Californication on Showtime?

In almost every episode, there is a scene shot in this one restaurant. It has red brick walls, a fireplace in the center of the room, a long separate bar area and funky colorful art on the walls. I wish I could find a picture online but I can't. Is this a real restaurant, and if so, where is it? I want to go there!

I haven't seen the show but from your description, that sounds like Hal's in Venice. Here's a link which has a picture of the restaurant but you can't really see the bar, which is off to the right in the picture.

Really? I saw the pilot and I was sure the bad double-date scene was shot in Hal's! And I'm positive that the bookstore scene was shot at that little bookstore up the street on Abbot Kinney (Equinox?)...

There is a scene in Equator Books, but the restaurant they show most often is definitely not Hal's. The double date restaurant might be, but I'm pretty sure LAfood and I are referring to a different one which appears in every episode.

I am on the verge of becoming dangerously obsessed. The end credits just say "Shot in Los Angeles" (thank God for Video On Demand). The website does have a Californication Wiki that includes a Californication Guide To Los Angeles, but this place isn't on it yet. Gah.

This is the bar area. I can't find a clip with a good enough view of the dining room, but perhaps this will look familiar to someone! There's a great unobstructed view of the bar in the last 5 seconds.